1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to a biosensor. More particularly, it relates to a biosensor wherein the unique properties of an enzyme or a microorganism are utilized.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
The sensing part of a common biosensor basically consists of a substance capable of recognizing a specified molecule and an electrochemical device, i.e., a transducer converting the recognition information of said substance into an electrical signal.
Known biosensors of the abovementioned type may be classified into, for example, enzymatic biosensors and microbial ones depending on said substance capable of recognizing a specified molecule. Alternatively, they may be classified into, for example, glucose sensor, ethyl alcohol sensor, acetic acid sensor etc., depending on the molecule to be recognized. These biosensors enable a molecule to be assayed within a significantly short period of time as compared with conventional chemical assay methods such as colorimetry.
However these biosensors have a disadvantage. More particularly, a common assay with a biosensor comprises constantly feeding a specified buffer solution to the sensing part while introducing a specimen solution on an upstream side of the same, i.e., so-called flow injection assay. Although this assay per se can be completed within a short period of time of, e.g., ten minutes, a pretreatment for preparing the specimen solution takes a prolonged period of time of, e.g., 10 to 30 minutes.